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The Canadian Armed Forces and the Military Lifestyle

Father and his son

The Canadian Armed Forces

A career in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is a commitment to protect and serve Canada. Military personnel selflessly rise to the challenge of protecting Canadians and Canadian interests at home and abroad.  

Working Together: The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces  

The Department of National Defence (DND) is distinct from the CAF but combine with the CAF to fulfill Canada’s national security structure and to fulfill the Government of Canada’s mission. The CAF’s mandate is to protect and serve while DND’s mandate is to support, as a partner, CAF activities. DND’s and the CAF’s fundamental goal is to protect Canada and Canadian interests, while contributing to international peace and security and upholding the values that Canadians share.  

The Minister of National Defence is responsible for the overall control and management of DND and the CAF, and for all matters relating to national defence. Specifically, the Minister is responsible for developing and articulating Canada’s defence policy.

A Unique Profession

The CAF consists of three operational elements — air, land and sea — and is comprised of four groups: 

  • The Royal Canadian Navy 
    The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) responds to and leads domestic and international missions. These missions include combat operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, search and rescue operations, and assisting both civil and law enforcement authorities with operations involving counterterrorism and drug interdiction. Some of the many occupations include Marine Technician, Naval Communicator, and Naval Combat Information Officer. 
  • The Canadian Army
    The Canadian Army is the land component of the CAF and the largest of its three elements. It consists of full-time Regular soldiers, part-time Reservists, and Canadian Rangers who work in over 30 occupations including Signal Operator, Signal Technician, Gunner and Vehicle Technician. 
  • The Royal Canadian Air Force 
    The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is responsible for the majority of aircraft operations of the CAF. Their mandate includes air defence, maritime patrol, search and rescue, air mobility and sustainment, and aerospace control. Occupations in the RCAF include Aerospace Control Operator, Aerospace Telecommunications and Information Systems Technician, Avionics System Technician, and Aerospace Control Officer. 
  • Canadian Special Operations Forces Command 
    The CAF has an agile, high-readiness Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). Comprised of personnel and capabilities from each of the three elements, Special Operations Forces are capable of operating across the spectrum of conflict at home and abroad. Occupations in the CANSOFCOM include Special Operations Assaulters, Special Operation Coxswains, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Operators, and Special Operation Aviation Crewman. 

Regular and Reserve Forces

  • Regular Force

    The Regular Force serves to protect Canadian Sovereignty as directed by the Government of Canada, to defend North America in cooperation with the United States and to contribute to international peace and security. Regular Force members are always ready to respond to a crisis or threat at home or abroad.  

    As full-time personnel, they receive a competitive salary, continuous support to advance in their careers, and benefits including health and dental care, education and training, a leave allocation and a pension plan. There are also various support services and programs for their families. 

  • Reserve Force

    The Reserve Force augments, sustains and supports the Regular Force at home and abroad. Some Reservists serve full-time while others serve part-time. Part-time Reservists serve a few evenings a week or on weekends. In the event of a threat or crisis, Reservists can be asked to serve full-time as part of a mission in Canada or overseas. The choice to go is voluntary, unless mandated by the federal government.  

    Reservists are employed in jobs similar to those of Regular Force members, working in the three elements and rank structure, and are trained to the level of and are interchangeable with their Regular Force counterparts. 

Canadian Armed Forces Bases and Support Units in Canada

  • The Royal Canadian Navy
    • Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, British Columbia  
    • Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Nova Scotia 
  • The Canadian Army
    • 2nd Canadian Division Support Base Valcartier, Quebec  
    • 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, Alberta  
    • 4th Canadian Division Support Base Petawawa, Ontario  
    • 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, New Brunswick  
    • Canadian Forces Base Kingston, Ontario  
    • Canadian Forces Base Shilo, Manitoba  
    • Canadian Forces Base Suffield, Alberta
  • The Royal Canadian Air Force
    • Canadian Forces Base Bagotville, Quebec  
    • Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Alberta  
    • Canadian Forces Base Comox, British Columbia  
    • Canadian Forces Base Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador  
    • Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador  
    • Canadian Forces Base Greenwood, Nova Scotia  
    • Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan  
    • Canadian Forces Base North Bay, Ontario  
    • Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario  
    • Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba  
    • Canadian Forces Station Alert, Nunavut 

A Career in the CAF

  • Training

    Military training prepares members for the profession of arms in order to meet the demands and challenges of CAF operations. The CAF provides comprehensive training to develop and improve the knowledge, skills and abilities military personnel require to meet the demands and challenges of CAF operations, and to effectively perform their duties.  

    Basic training, also referred to as Basic Military Qualification, is a new candidate’s first exposure to military training. It provides knowledge that is common to the operational elements and all trades, with an emphasis on physical and mental readiness and fundamental military values. After graduating from basic training, the member is sent to trade school to complete their next career course, after which they are posted to their home unit.   

    CAF members have access to paid education programs such as: Non-Commissioned Member Subsidized Training and Education Plan, Regular Officer Training Plan, Indigenous Leadership Opportunity Year, and Specialty Programs. Members continue to train, learn and grow throughout their careers. 

  • Military Career Management

    A Regular Force member is assigned a Career Manager to accompany them throughout their career. They play a fundamental role, along with the member, in the member’s professional advancement and their progression through the ranks. Career Managers guide a member and coordinate with them, their chain of command, the subject matter expert in the member’s occupation, and succession planners to manage the member’s career, all while meeting the needs of the CAF.  

    A Career Manager’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:  

    • Promotions  
    • Postings  
    • Career course selection and nominations for leadership qualifications  
    • Staffing files for administrative action  
    • Managing the cost of moves  
    • Annual interviews with officers and non-commissioned members  
    • Preparing files for Selection Boards  
    • Initiating career action for Administrative Reviews 
  • Length of Service
    • The Regular Force Initial Term of Engagement 

    The initial term of engagement (the length of the employment contract) depends on the trade a candidate enters but is typically between three to five years. If a candidate enrolls through a paid education program, their length of service is longer. After the initial term of engagement, the member can choose to re-enlist for another short-term period (usually three to five years), can enter into a lifetime contract (a period of 25 years), or can become a Reservist.   

    • The Reserve Force Term of Engagement 

    The time a person spends in the Reserve Force is determined by the member since being a Reservist is voluntary. 

  • Relocation and Posting

    Once initial training is complete, the member is assigned a posting based on their skills and the CAF’s occupational requirements. Although there is an effort to accommodate the member’s preferred location, it ultimately depends on where their skills are needed.  

    Subsequent postings can occur for a number of reasons including promotions, training opportunities, to fill high-priority vacancies or to enhance the member’s diversity of skills and breadth of experience. Regular Force members can expect a new posting in Canada or abroad every three to five years. The duration of a posting varies according to the member’s trade, location and the CAF’s operational requirements. It is important to note that not all postings involve a geographical move.   

    Military members may request a posting to a specific location for compassionate reasons. Such postings may be authorized to allow the family to be closer to an ailing relative, to have better access to medical or specialized services, to address special education needs, or for other situations where family welfare and stability would be affected. There are, however, no guarantees that this will be possible.  

  • Imposed Restriction

    CAF members are typically posted with their families when assigned to a new location. However, there may be circumstances where a family cannot relocate at the same time or may not relocate at all. In these cases, a member may request Imposed Restriction (IR), which allows them to serve unaccompanied while their family remains in place .

    IR is designed as a short-term measure to help balance military service requirements with personal or family circumstances. Approval is not automatic and is granted on a case-by-case basis in accordance with Canadian Forces Military Personnel Instruction 01/17 – Imposed Restriction. 

  • Release and Retirement

    Release from the CAF occurs when members leave the service before the end of their term of engagement. This occurs for a variety of reasons including medical, voluntary, misconduct or unsatisfactory service.  

    A CAF member can retire from service at the age of 60 with at least two years of pensionable service, or at 55 if they have 30 years of pensionable service. 

Military Lifestyle and the Family

For over 60 years, the Canadian military has supported the family community. It is guided by the Canadian Armed Forces Family Covenant which both acknowledges the complex relationship between healthy families and effective members and underscores the CAF’s moral obligation to those who stand by the side of those in uniform.  A family’s dedication to the CAF experience requires an extraordinary level of sacrifice, adaptability, resourcefulness and resilience. Often, it is the unofficial CAF community and its members who provide the unspoken and undying dedication and support required to keep families strong. 

  • The Element of Risk

    The significant risk of personal harm for military members is a reality of service that requires ongoing training and combat operations.  

    CAF members deploy on operational missions fully aware of the risks involved, including the possibility of illness, permanent injury or even death.  

    Risk is not limited to missions like Afghanistan. Preparing for combat operations requires comprehensive and intensive training with lethal weapons systems, live ammunition and powerful machinery employed in all types of environments, conditions and scenarios. The training in and of itself can be perilous, sometimes resulting in injuries and deaths despite the precautions and safety measures in place. 

  • Absences

    The military lifestyle requires a military member to be ready for a deployment, to participate in training exercises at home or overseas, and to be absent for other calls of duty. These potentially frequent absences can last a few days, weeks or months depending on circumstances.  

    With frequent absences largely characterizing the military lifestyle, there is a potential for familial issues to arise. Separation between spouses/partners as well as between the member parent and their children can create challenging circumstances for everyone involved. 

  • Effects of Relocations and Postings on the Military Family
    The effects of frequent moves can create difficulties for families as spouses/partners attempt to re-establish community services for themselves and their children with every new posting. Having to deal with a number of factors including spousal employment, children’s education, child care, housing and health care can create stressful circumstances and have a negative impact on a family’s well-being. 
  • Creating Community
    Despite military housing being available at 27 locations across the country, roughly 85 percent of military families live off base. This brings a host of realities for families as they attempt to transition into new communities every few years. In some cases, this may create disengagement with the military community, a lack of awareness of services and programs available and a sense of isolation. 

Supporting the Military Family

Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services  Working on behalf of the Chief of the Defence Staff and under the authority of the Defence Minister, the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) is a partner in the Defence enterprise, working across Canada, the United States and Europe.  CFMWS’s fundamental purpose is to create and deliver programs and services that positively impact the mental, social, familial, physical and financial well-being of CAF members, Veterans, and their families. 

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